


The (First) Time May Sets Eddie Straight

by OreoLuvr13



Series: Buck and May and Some Sibling Love [2]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Miscommunication, Protective Siblings, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:20:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24463408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OreoLuvr13/pseuds/OreoLuvr13
Summary: One of the down sides in being in a secret relationship is that when there’s a problem, your list of who to turn to for help is short. Luckily for Eddie, May Grant is on the short list and is there to set him straight.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & May Grant (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Buck and May and Some Sibling Love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766836
Comments: 24
Kudos: 630
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	The (First) Time May Sets Eddie Straight

**Author's Note:**

> I’m so glad there’s an audience for Buck and May sibling fics. I have so many ideas, here is one. I hope you all enjoy!

There’s something going on with Buck. He’s his usual self at work. All enthusiastic when he makes a suggestion when they’re out on a call. He smiles when Hen tells them a story of Denny. He smirks or shakes his head when Chim tells another awful joke. He makes his usual comments that’s equal parts exasperating and humorous to get Cap to roll his eyes. He exchanges small talk with Eddie on their way to a call. At work everything seems normal.

But that’s where it stops. Buck’s been acting completely different outside of work. It’s not like Eddie is completely clueless about the change in his partner’s behavior. It just took a little longer than it should have for Eddie to really see the full picture because it didn’t happen all at once, but in pieces over the last week.

And Eddie has no idea what he did wrong. Everything was going great. Buck was spending most of the nights at his place to the extent that they discussed Buck not renewing his lease when it was up and would move in. When they were both off on a Sunday, they go over to Abuela’s for dinner. If Buck has a day off, he spends the day with Chris even if Eddie is working. Everything has been great.

But not lately.

First, Buck gets quiet. Yeah, he asks jokes around with Chris at Eddie’s sorry excuses for cooking. He asks Chris about what’s going on in school and reads to Christopher before bed. But as soon as Chris is asleep or if Chris isn’t around, Buck gets quiet. Scarily so, to the point where he asks Buck what he’s looking at on his phone in the hopes that Buck will prattle on about why they eat turkey on Thanksgiving or what the first balloon in the Macy’s Day Parade was. But Buck doesn’t rise to the bait. Eddie would give anything to have one those of nights where he has to make a half-hearted threat that he’s going to sleep out on the couch if Buck didn’t stop talking about meteor showers or why the exclusion surrounding Chernobyl was expanded years after the nuclear reactor, while lying in bed. Now, he would give anything to hear Buck’s endless rambling about 

Of course he asks Buck if he’s okay, all he gets is a small smile and a “Everything’s fine.”

Then Buck turns down Eddie’s invite to come over when Christopher is spending the night at his grandmother’s house. It’ll be the first night in a week where they’ll have the house to themselves for more than a couple of hours. Buck would normally jump at the chance to spend the night when Christopher isn’t home. When they are free to be as loud as they want and don’t have to worry about Chris waking them up ridiculously early.

But the most obvious and disconcerting sign that something is very wrong is that now Buck is turning down Christopher’s invites to come over. Buck never says no to Christopher. Not when it comes to another a story before bed or to pancakes for breakfast for the third morning in a row. But he has turned down the invite to come over to see Chris yesterday and then again just now.

“What’s wrong with Bucky?” Chris asks him after the FaceTime call ends. Buck said no Eddie’s earlier text asking him to come over tonight for pizza and a movie. He was hoping that Buck would change his mind when he saw Chris’ face. But he was wrong.

“He’s tired,” Eddie says, ruffling his son’s hair. “He worked a lot this week.”

“He’s always tired now,” Chris says sadly. “When isn’t he going to be tired?”

“I don’t know,” Eddie says. “Soon, bud. I’m promise.” He’s going to fix this. Just as soon as he figures out what the hell is going on with Buck. “Think of what movie you want to watch tonight and I’ll order the pizza.” Chris sadly makes his way over to the couch.

He has to fix this. But Eddie has no idea how to. Buck is giving him nothing to work with. Whenever he asks Buck what is wrong, Buck says he’s fine even though he’s clearly not. And he can’t go to Maddie or Bobby because as far as they know Buck is good.

Fuck this sucks. Almost no one knows about him and Buck, so he has no one to talk to about this. He loves his Abuela, but she has no idea what’s going on. Carla knows something’s up, but she just about as clueless as Eddie is. She’s voiced her concerns about Buck’s new quiet demeanor to Eddie yesterday when he came home after his shift without Buck. Her remarking that it was the third time this week that Buck wasn’t there.

No Abuela. No Carla. That leaves just May on the short list of who he can talk to about Buck. He feels a little strange going to Buck’s teenage, pseudo sister for help, but he has to. He has to fix this. So later that night after the movie is done and Chris is in bed, after finishing his second beer, he sends May a text asking if they could talk.

_About what_

Buck

_What did u do_

Eddie rolls his eyes as he heads to the fridge. He needs another beer. He takes a sip before answering.

I don’t know. Thats the problem

He can see the three dots that May is typing a response. But then they disappear. He’s taking another sip of his beer when his phone starts ringing.

“Hey,” Eddie answers nervously. Not quite sure if he’s ready for what Mau has to say. “Sorry to bother you.”

_“It’s fine. I could use the break from studying.”_

“You sure? I don’t want to keep you from your schoolwork. It’s your senior year. This is an important time.”

_“I know how important senior year is. And if I forget, my parents, Bobby, and Buck are more than happy to remind me. So what’s going on with you and your boy?”_

Eddie rubs the middle of his forehead. He barely ate dinner, his stomach a mess thinking about what’s going on with Buck. Drinking beer on an empty stomach, lowers his inhibitions and he lets everything out in one breath. “Buck’s been acting really strange lately. He’s fine at work. But then when it’s just us, he’s quiet. He’s not coming over. Even when Chris asks him. Something’s going on. And I can’t go to Maddie or Bobby to see if they know what’s going on because they don’t know about us. I don’t know what’s going on with him. Do you?”

“ _Wow, I was not expecting all that. You done?”_

“Maybe?” Eddie says as he lets out a loud hiccup. “So do you? Know what’s going on with him?”

_“I might. He might have said something when he was over earlier to help me with my physics homework.”_

She’s really making him work for this. She definitely knows what’s going on. “May, just tell me. Please.”

“ _Who is Ana Flores?”_

“Ana Flores?” Eddie asks in confusion. “Chris’s teacher? Buck told you about Ana? Why? It was stupid. She tried flirting with me when I went to Chris’ parent-teacher conference. Carla was teasing me because I was so oblivious to it. Said I was so wrapped up with Buck that I didn’t even see what was going on. ”

 _“You really don’t get it? Do you?_ ”

Eddie can’t see her but he’s pretty sure that the teenager is sporting a raised eyebrow, only second in intensity to her mother’s.

“What? She was flirting with me. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t realize what was going on until Carla pointed it out to me on the car ride home. Besides, you should see the way girls flirt with Buck when we’re out on a call. If I got quiet whenever that happened, I would be mute for days.”

_“First off, you getting quiet isn’t all that uncommon.”_

“Hey,” Eddie cuts her off. “This is not why I called.”

 _“No, you called me because you need my advice on what’s going on with Buck. So let me talk. I can say 100_ % _that it’s not about the flirting.”_

“It’s not?” Eddie feels relieved. But if it’s not about the flirting then what’s going on?

May laughs. _“’course it’s not. He knows it was nothing. He told me so when he told me about the parent-teacher conference. He knows that you will never cheat on him. It wasn’t the flirting. Or even Ana.”_

“Then what is it?”

_“And here I thought Buck was the more oblivious one. I guess I’ll come right out and say it. It’s the parent-teacher conference.”_

Eddie still doesn’t get it. Chris is doing great. All the teachers said so.

_“Oh my god! You asked Carla to go to the parent-teacher conference. Not Buck.”_

“But Carla always comes to Chris’s parent-teacher conferences.”

_“Yeah, you may be right. Carla always has. But you and Buck have been together for what five months?”_

“Closer to seven,” Eddie corrects, putting his beer down. No longer in the mood.

_“And this is the first one since the two of you have gotten together.”_

“He wanted to come?”

_“Of course he did! He loves that kid like he’s his own. He wants to be there for everything. Not just the fun stuff. Like movie nights and trips to the park. Chris is the most important thing to you, so that means he is for Buck too. ”_

“I trust no one else more than him with Chris. He knows that.”

 _“He does. But if you haven’t noticed Buck goes 110_ % _into everything he does. He wants to do it all. The big stuff like saving Chris from a tsunami to going to the school’s science fair. Everything.”_

Shit. Eddie didn’t think of that. He didn’t think Buck would want to go to a parent-teacher conference. They’re not exactly a lot of fun. But May is right. When Buck dives into to something, he dives into it hard. “He does go all in.” Eddie could slap himself. How could he be this clueless. Of course Buck wanted to come to the parent-teacher conference. Buck didn’t hesitate when Eddie asked him if he minded being added as an emergency contact list. He’ll do anything for Chris.

_“He does and if you haven’t noticed Buck has serious abandonment issues. You not asking him only brought up his worst fears. Especially so soon after the lawsuit mess.”_

“He really thinks I’m going to leave him?” Eddie chokes out. How can Buck think that? He knows how Eddie feels. How important Buck is to him. He knows how Eddie’s life spiraled out of control when they couldn’t talk because of that damn lawsuit.

_“I’m only taking AP Psych, but I think the rational part of him knows that you won’t. That you two are it. But I think his abandonment issues really messes with his head sometimes. And you not asking him to go the parent-teacher conference made him think of worst case scenarios. Like maybe you didn’t ask him to go because you don’t want him to be part of Chris’ education. That you think deep down that you guys won’t last.”_

“Do you really think he thinks that?”

_“I don’t know for sure. But think about it. Him distancing himself from you and now Chris-“_

“He’s distancing himself before we leave him.” Eddie realizes. At least now he knows what’s going on. He just has to find a way to fix it. “Thanks, May.”

_“You know what you’re going to do?”_

Eddie nods his head. “Got to prove to him that we’re not going anywhere.” He just has to figure out how. He looks to the refrigerator where their mess of a schedule is. It’s kinda of disaster to follow because it includes both his and Buck work schedules, Chris’s school schedule, birthdays, and other appointments. His eyes catches Monday’s square, and an idea begins falling into place. “I think I know just how to.”

**XXXXX**

He gets to the firehouse before Buck does the next morning. He waits in his car, leg bouncing nervously for Buck to arrive. He’s normally not this early for work, but he wants to talk to Buck before their shift starts. He’s hoping it goes the way he wants it to or it’s going to be a long 12 hour shift.

Eddie doesn’t have to wait long before he sees Buck’s Jeep pull in. He gives the other man a few minutes to get grab his bag out of the back seat before he makes his move. Buck doesn’t even spare Eddie a glance when he starts to make his way into the building.

“Buck!” Eddie calls getting out of his truck. The other man stops dead in his tracks. “Can we talk?”

Buck points with his thumb over his shoulder towards the door. “I don’t want to be late.”

Eddie bites his lip as he moves closer to Buck. “Please, Buck. It’ll take just a few minutes. Bobby isn’t even here yet.”

Buck sighs in reluctance submission. But he moves closer to Eddie. No doubt he wants to keep the conversation quiet so their co-workers can’t hear them as they walk into the firehouse. “Fine.”

Eddie’s mouth flounders for a few seconds. His mind is blank. Everything that he has practiced saying in the car ride over is gone. Buck turns to go in when Eddie’s silence lingers a little too long.

“Buck, wait Please.” Eddie says. “I’m sorry, okay.”

Buck turns to face Eddie. “Do you even know what you’re apologizing for?”

Eddie can’t help but feel a little relieved. It might be at his own expense, but at least Buck is talking to him. “I do. It might have taken a conversation with May to help set me straight. But I think I get it.”

“Get what?”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t ask you to come with me to Chris’ parent-teacher conference. Carla came with me last year. I didn’t think twice when I asked her to come with me this year.” He moves closer to Buck, “I should have asked you. You’re such huge part of my life. And that means you’re a big part of Chris’ too. I want you to be there for everything. For me and for Chris. His school. His PT. The big stuff and the small stuff. I’m sorry that I made you feel like you weren’t.”

“I..I just thought that you didn’t want me there.” Buck whispers, looking down at this feet.

Eddie grabs Buck’s hand, rubbing his hand over the younger man’s knuckles. “Hey, look at me. Please.” Buck slowly looks up, Eddie continues. “Remember what I said after the tsunami. There’s no one else I trust with Christopher. Of course I want you to be there with us. We’re not going anywhere.”

“You’re not gonna leave?” Buck asks, voice cracking.

Looks like May aced her psychology’s book section on abandonment issues. He knew Buck had some issues. He just didn’t realize how deep they ran. It helps explain why Buck was so desperate to get back to work after his surgery. He didn’t sue the city to prove a point to Bobby that he was ready to come back. He sued because he was afraid that he was going to be left behind. That they were all going to leave him.

“Of course, I’m not going to leave.” Eddie says. “I’m not going anywhere, not without you.”

Buck lets out a nervous laugh. He starts to lean in closer to where Eddie can smell Buck’s mouthwash, but he quickly pulls back remembering where they are.

“Good. Now what are you doing Monday?”

“Monday?” Buck asks. “I think I’m off.”

Eddie nods. “You are and so am I.” He can’t help but laugh when he sees the screws turning in Buck’s mind. No doubt thinking of what they could do for the whole day when Chris is at school.

“Easy there, I think I know what you’re thinking. But we have plans.”

“We do?”

“Yeah, we do. Chris’ class is having Thanksgiving dinner Monday. They get to invite their families.” Eddie sees Buck’s eyes get teary when he says family. “They make placemats and decorations. It’s kinda cheesy, but it’s cute. I hope you like canned corn and cafeteria turkey. It’s definitely not Bobby’s cooking. But, do you want to come?”

Buck eagerly nods his head. “Of course I do!”

Eddie smiles as he pulls Buck closer by the nape of his neck. He takes in the familiar smell of Buck. His shampoo that Eddie has a bottle of it in his shower. His hoodie smelling the same as Eddie and Chris clothes because all their clothes are washed together. Simply, Buck. It’s been too long since he and Buck have been this close. Never again can he go this long.

But all too soon a familiar car pulls into the parking lot and the pair pull apart like a couple of teenagers caught making out on the couch.

“Mornin’,” Bobby says as he joins his two youngest firefighters.

“Good morning, Bobby.” Buck says with a bright smile.

Eddie greets the captain as well. Because for the first time in a week it is.

And later on that morning, when Bobby starts talking about some new rolled icecream place May says is amazing, he takes special note of the name of the place. He owes her a little something for setting him straight.


End file.
